Boy crashes into market

A 16-year-old boy without a driver's license crashed an SUV through the side of the Minute Market on North Main Street Sunday night, police said.

Hannah Guzik

A 16-year-old boy without a driver's license crashed an SUV through the side of the Minute Market on North Main Street Sunday night, police said.

Police cited the boy's mother, Jeanne Azzopardi, 50, for providing a vehicle to an unqualified driver.

"I think that it's pretty much common sense that you shouldn't be giving your vehicle out to somebody without a driver's license," said Officer Steve MacLennan with the Ashland Police Department.

The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was alone in the car and was not hurt in the 8:15 p.m. crash, according to police.

A person who was sitting on a chair inside the convenience store was knocked off the chair and mildly injured when the car smashed into the Minute Market, MacLennan said.

Police cited the boy for careless driving and driving without a license.

He was apparently attempting to leave the store, located at 304 N. Main St., when he accidentally put the car in "drive" instead of "reverse" and plowed into the store, MacLennan said.

The incident was a learning experience for Azzopardi and her son, McLennan said.

"Parents do sometimes let their kids go out and drive a little bit, but it's pretty rare," he said. "But it's something that happened. He did it. He crashed the car, and, OK, everybody kind of learned here."